Former Sen. Chuck Hagel on Thursday faced a barrage of criticism about his fitness to be the next defense secretary, including his agreement with a controversial statement that the United States is the “world’s bully.” President Barack Obama’s nominee to be defense secretary ran into sharp opposition from Republicans on the Senate Armed Services Committee who questioned Hagel on an array of controversial policies. Senators questioned Hagel about his opposition to tough U.S. policies toward Iran, his calling the successful U.S. military surge in Iraq a “blunder,” and his support for sharp unilateral cuts in U.S. nuclear forces.

It’s fascinating, actually, to see a nominee of this importance do so poorly. Chuck Hagel, nominated for defense secretary, has gone from awful to atrocious today, having to deny the obvious meaning of words he previously authored (on Global Zero), correct himself repeatedly (no, he didn’t mean Iran’s government was “legitimate”) and find himself simply unable to explain himself. Forgetting about his views, he does not radiate the confidence nor project the intelligence the job demands. It is unclear whether he was not prepped properly, whether he refused to be coached or whether he simply isn’t bright.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) confronted former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel with a clip from his 2009 interview with Al Jazeera during today's Defense Secretary confirmation hearing. The Secretary of Defense nominee can be heard agreeing with a caller's assertion that the United States is the "world's bully."

Senator Jim Inhofe cited a blog post by conservative Washington Post blogger Jennifer Rubin during the confirmation hearing for Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel on Thursday, setting in motion a public argument on Twitter. Inhofe, who called Rubin a reporter, cited a blog post of her's about Hagel. Shortly thereafter, Post reporter Rajiv Chandrasekaran took issue with Rubin's work on Twitter, saying that Rubin "is NOT a WaPo reporter."

Former senator Chuck Hagel defended his vote against designating the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist group, claiming it would have been unprecedented and potentially harmful to give that designation to a representative of a â€ślegitimateâ€ť government.The Islamist regime in Iran, Hagel said, was â€śan elected, legitimate government, whether we agree or not.â€ťThe Iranian government is currently gearing up for elections by arresting â€śanti-revolutionaryâ€ť journalists, and deciding whether or not to allow pro-reform candidates to participate, many of whom have been living under house arrest for years.The countryâ€™s election in 2009 prompted large-scale protests followed by a violent...

As the Senate prepares to hold a January 31 confirmation hearing for their former colleague Chuck Hagel to be the next Secretary of Defense, an alarming paradox has emerged. Iran – the "Death to America" Islamic regime – is effusive with praise, while a large group of retired U.S. military commanders have "deep concerns" and have taken a highly unusual public position in opposition to Hagel's nomination. The Washington Times cites an Iranian source that received the news of Hagel's nomination as "a message of peace from the Obama administration to the Islamic Republic of Iran" and admiringly quoted...

Defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel stated Iran has an “elected, legitimate government” and pointed out its membership in the United Nations, responding to a question Wednesday by Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R., Ga.) about why he would consider negotiations with Iran in light of its terrorist connections: HAGEL: Well, let’s start with a specific question on a vote, regarding designating the Revolutionary Guard as a terrorist organization. You recall, because you were there, there were 22 senators who voted against that. The effort against it — the main point made on the floor of the Senate came from Senator Jim Webb....